Bonding of Love  Qin Qing  Relationships
by NinaKerndall
Summary: Written for the Commonwealth Essay competition. As original as I could get, but grossly over the word limit. Will also upload the limited one later as a second chapter. Name will most likely be changed too...
1. Chapter 1

What was so great about parent's love again?

I had only just learnt that my twin sister, Lin, had contracted a disease not commonly found in the coastal area where we lived. Our parents, upon learning the news, decided then and there to send her overseas to our Aunt Jasmine for 'advanced treatment', when they were so obviously trying to get rid of an inconvenience in the family.

They wanted their healthy young son to stay with them, but no way was I going to let Lin go alone. She was my best friend when our parents were too occupied with work to bother about us, and I hers when she got picked on by both our uncaring parents and the other students on school.

Days of fighting turned to weeks, and they finally let me go with Lin.

She clung to my arm now, obviously nervous. "Ren, I'm scared. What if I don't fit in there? What if Aunt Jasmine doesn't like me? What will I do?"

I knew what she really meant was, _What if my disease can't be cured? What if I won't ever get a chance to see Mom and Dad again?_

I patted her arm comfortingly. "It'll be alright. You'll see. You might even make new friends there. And I'll always be there for you, no matter what happens." I smiled the brightest, most reassuring smile I could muster at that moment.

Of course, without knowing what was going to happen next.

A large rumble of thunder jerked me awake from my fitful slumber, and echoed about the space around the plane. Restless commotion resounded through the cabin.

The airbus we were on gave a huge jerk upwards and started free-falling, before the wind caught it again, causing it to soaring upwards. Needless to say, the passengers were spooked, and Lin and I were more than slightly bruised from the bouncing.

The pilot's intercom crackled to life. "Good afternoon, everyone. This is your pilot speaking. We are currently going through some – " And his voice went dead.

Several things happened at once.

The lights flickered off.

Many passengers started squealing in fright.

Bags started to fly out of their cabinets, and bonking people on the head or falling into their laps.

The plane started a steep nosedive, straight into the sea.

Our fingers laced together instinctively, and we braced ourselves for the imminent crash. I heard Lin's whispered, "I love you, Ren."

The whole world went black.

I was lying on something hard and uncomfortable, and the sun was cooking my face.

I forced my eyes open. Lin immediately bent worriedly over me, blocking out most of the sunlight. I sat straight up and put a hand on Lin's head. "Are you hurt?" She shook her head, clearly relieved to see me awake.

Surveying our surroundings, I realised that we were on a small bright orange life raft, floating out in open ocean. The only thing with us was my backpack, which Lin evidently managed to salvage from the crash.

Like the paranoid traveller I was, I had packed more food than we needed in my backpack, including packets of snacks and numerous bottles of mineral water.

Lin clung to my arm again. Her illness had taken her toll, and she was trembling in the battering heat of the sun. I yanked a small blanket out of the bag and put it over Lin's head as a makeshift cap, and shared a small packet of barbecued chips together. Even though it filled us up, we had to drink more water to quench the thirst, using more of our supply. The sun started to sink down into the horizon, and I found myself sending up a hopeful prayer that we could be saved, that Lin could be saved.

Water. Rushing, freezing, flowing over the sides of the raft, drenching us in saltwater, and carrying our only supply away, leaving us with nothing once more…

My mouth was dry and my body paralysed from lack of water and my lips were cracked from the salt and sun. It was all I could do to keep my eyes open and my hand on Lin's.

It was all my fault.

I wasn't able to do something about the storm.

I wasn't able to retrieve our supplies.

I wasn't able to save Lin.

And she was going to die.

But it felt more like I would die first. She had had more water than I did, and I couldn't move at all, with my vision starting to grey around the edges.

Was this the end? What was going to happen to Lin once I was gone?

I couldn't hold on any longer. I had to close my eyes, I needed to close my eyes.

The moment before I blacked out, I heard what sounded like helicopter propellers.

I smiled to myself. _At least Lin can be saved…_


	2. Edited to 700 words To the Competition!

Bonding of Love - Qin Qing (Relationships)

What was that about parent's love again?

I had only just learnt that my twin sister, Lin, had contracted a rare disease that would slowly deteriorate her body. Our parents, upon learning the news, decided then and there to send her overseas to our Aunt Jasmine for more advanced treatment.

They had to work to pay for her treatment, and wanted me to study, but no way was I going to let Lin go alone. She was my best friend when our parents were too occupied with work, and I hers when she got picked on by the other students on school.

Days of fighting turned to weeks, and they finally let me go with Lin.

She clung to my arm now, obviously nervous. "Ren, I'm scared. What if I don't fit in there? What if Aunt Jasmine doesn't like me?"

I knew what she really meant was, _What if my disease can't be cured? What if I won't ever get a chance to see Mom and Dad again?_

I patted her arm comfortingly. "It'll be alright. You'll see. And I'll always be there for you, no matter what happens." I smiled the brightest, most reassuring smile I could muster at that moment.

Of course, without knowing what was going to happen next.

A large rumble of thunder jerked me awake from my fitful slumber, and echoed about the space around the plane. Restless commotion resounded through the cabin, and the plane started bouncing everyone on the seats.

The plane jerked up, then down. The pilot's intercom crackled to life. "Good afternoon, everyone. This is your pilot speaking. We are currently going through some – " And his voice went dead.

The lights flickered off.

Many passengers started squealing in fright.

Bags started to fly out of their cabinets, and bonking people on the head or falling into their laps.

The plane started a steep nosedive, straight into the sea.

Our fingers laced together instinctively, and we braced ourselves for the imminent crash. I heard Lin's whispered, "I love you, Ren."

The whole world went black.

I was lying on something soft and swaying, and the sun was cooking my face.

I forced my eyes open. Lin immediately bent worriedly over me, blocking out most of the sunlight. I sat straight up and put a hand on Lin's head. "Are you hurt?" She shook her head, clearly relieved to see me awake.

Surveying our surroundings, I realised that we were on a small bright orange life raft, floating out in open ocean. The only thing with us was my backpack, which Lin evidently managed to salvage from the crash.

Lin clung to my arm again. Her illness had taken her toll, and she was trembling in the battering heat of the sun.

I yanked a towel out of the bag and put it over Lin's head as a makeshift cap. Like the paranoid traveller I was, I had packed more food and water than we needed in my backpack, and we shared some. The sun started to sink down into the horizon, and I found myself sending up a hopeful prayer that we could be saved, that Lin could be saved.

Water. Rushing, freezing, flowing over the sides of the raft, drenching us in saltwater, and carrying our only supply away, leaving us with nothing once more…

My mouth was dry and my body paralysed from lack of water and my lips were cracked from the salt and sun. It was all I could do to keep conscious, my hand on Lin's.

It was all my fault.

I wasn't able to do something about the storm.

I wasn't able to retrieve our supplies.

I wasn't able to save Lin.

And she was going to die.

But she had had more water than I did, and I couldn't move anymore, with my vision starting to grey around the edges. I might die first.

Was this the end? Would Lin still die once I was gone?

I couldn't hold on any longer. I had to close my eyes, needed to close my eyes.

The moment I blacked out, I heard what sounded like helicopter propellers.

I smiled. _At least Lin might be saved…_


End file.
